Due to popular demand (?) I'm posting six of my own shots of Youngs Bridge, taken in November 1995. As the foliage is off, you can see things pretty clearly. That's a 520-foot, 300-foot high clear span cantilever. Or close to that!

I'm not an engineer - just work with them. But this is one scary-looking bridge. Love to see it preserved somehow, though. It's a truly neglected treasure.

To work the link - click the first shot, then change "youngs2.jpg" on the end to "youngs1.jpg", through "youngs6.jpg" - there are six shots posted on my webspace. Enjoy

Youngs Bridge Photo(s)
randy.gustafson@westpa.net

Most impressive bridge! The only thing I have to say is "homey don't play that game!" I sure wouldn't take a train across that bridge! actually I wouldn't even walk it! Even though I do like the tie plates on the safety rail.
On thier web site they (the Blue Grass Group)say the bridge is still sound. All I know is Randy, I'll take you and Harvey and crews views.
Treat it like a holey condom, Don't F@#$ with it!
Sure makes our bridge projects on the L & WV look VERY SANE!

irss@eriecoast.com

I'm wondering if I can find enough hard stuff to drink to end up willing to consider that a viable "rail preservation" project.

But then again, how would you like to be stuck with the *demolition* job? <:-o

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

> I'm wondering if I can find enough hard
> stuff to drink to end up willing to consider
> that a viable "rail preservation"
> project.

> But then again, how would you like to be
> stuck with the *demolition* job? <:-o

good thing their is the "wild turkey" distillery right at the end of it, IF I was going across that bridge on a locomotive, I would have needed some "fortifying" too

Maybe preservation crews could use some "fortifying" as well!!!

you always hear "light at the end of the tunnel"

now you can hear,

"the turkey at the end of the trestle"

LOL

Andy J

andyj@wythenet.com

> Due to popular demand (?) I'm posting six of
> my own shots of Youngs Bridge, taken in
> November 1995. As the foliage is off, you
> can see things pretty clearly. That's a
> 520-foot, 300-foot high clear span
> cantilever. Or close to that!

> I'm not an engineer - just work with them.
> But this is one scary-looking bridge. Love
> to see it preserved somehow, though. It's a
> truly neglected treasure.

> To work the link - click the first shot,
> then change "youngs2.jpg" on the
> end to "youngs1.jpg", through
> "youngs6.jpg" - there are six
> shots posted on my webspace. Enjoy

Thanks for the photos. Really a remarkable piece of engineering! Sure it looks scary (much MORE scary when seen in person I can assure you!) BUT, this bridge has been carrying railroad traffic since 1889!!! What I think is needed is an engineering evaluation of it. Isn't there some kind of a American Society of Mechanical Engineers website that lists historic structures? Perhaps that is not the organization but what IS the organization? First step to saving this bridge is to get it registered as an engineering landmark. Then go from there. Hope BGRM, or somebody, can take the first steps.

midlandblb@cs.com

Get people to pay $100 a head to bungee-jump off the bridge--of which $50 is the insurance and waiver fee.........

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

OK

I'll bite.

Where is this bridge?



hillmans@cinternet.net

> OK

> I'll bite.

> Where is this bridge?

Near Lexington, KY. Between Versailles and Lawrenceburg. Bridge over Kentucky River. See link to Bluegrass Railroad Museum map below:

Bluegrass Railroad Museum location map
randy.gustafson@westpa.net

From my crude old atlas, I'm guessing this is ex-Southern Railway?

ryarger@rypn.org

> Get people to pay $100 a head to bungee-jump
> off the bridge--of which $50 is the
> insurance and waiver fee.........

especially since they stopped it at the New River Bridge ...maybe you better up that insurance portion ???


http://www.nps.gov/neri/bday10.htm
lamontdc@adelphia.net

> From my crude old atlas, I'm guessing this
> is ex-Southern Railway?

According to my highly-detailed Steam Powered Video Atlas of Appalachia and Piedmont, affirmative. NS owns the line west of the bridge, Bluegrass Ry. Museum the east side, although the power plant appears to still be served by NS.


LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

Sorry, but I gotta jump in here...

First, I have not seen the bridge up close and personal. Second, I am not a civil engineer (oh Mark, where are you?).

BUT, I did not see anything that immediately scared me about the structure. Certainly the bridge timbers need replaced and it could use a paint job, but what is the condition of the steel? Any significant loss to corrosion? My guess is that there is some in selected locations, but probably not all over. Nonetheless, it would be a worthwhile endeavor to save such a magnificent structure. Better than trying to rebuild the Kinzua bridge since the storm (though I'm not necessarily opposed to that, either).

Just my two cents....
Michael Brown

> Due to popular demand (?) I'm posting six of
> my own shots of Youngs Bridge, taken in
> November 1995. As the foliage is off, you
> can see things pretty clearly. That's a
> 520-foot, 300-foot high clear span
> cantilever. Or close to that!

> I'm not an engineer - just work with them.
> But this is one scary-looking bridge. Love
> to see it preserved somehow, though. It's a
> truly neglected treasure.

> To work the link - click the first shot,
> then change "youngs2.jpg" on the
> end to "youngs1.jpg", through
> "youngs6.jpg" - there are six
> shots posted on my webspace. Enjoy


Rebuilding Yesterday for Tommorrow
newriver400@cs.com

> Sorry, but I gotta jump in here...

> First, I have not seen the bridge up close
> and personal. Second, I am not a civil
> engineer (oh Mark, where are you?).

> BUT, I did not see anything that immediately
> scared me about the structure. Certainly the
> bridge timbers need replaced and it could
> use a paint job, but what is the condition
> of the steel? Any significant loss to
> corrosion? My guess is that there is some in
> selected locations, but probably not all
> over. Nonetheless, it would be a worthwhile
> endeavor to save such a magnificent
> structure. Better than trying to rebuild the
> Kinzua bridge since the storm (though I'm
> not necessarily opposed to that, either).

> Just my two cents....
> Michael Brown

Michael:

From what I now understand, the bridge is made of cast iron and NOT steel. This apparently is the main problem with it.

Les Beckman (HVRM)

midlandblb@cs.com

> From what I now understand, the bridge is
> made of cast iron and NOT steel. This
> apparently is the main problem with it.

> Les Beckman (HVRM)

Les: unless I miss my guess, that bridge is built of wrought iron, which is why it lasted so long and was able to take the loads it did. Whole different process but much more reliable then cast iron, ala the infamous Ashtabula disaster.

lamontdc@adelphia.net

As it has been explained to me by an engineer in the past, the problem with pin construction is there is very little redundency in the design. There is no reliable way to inspect the pins without dissassembly and the failure of one pin causes collapse to the structure. Other designs with riveted plates and gussets the all of the components can be viewed and inspected and if need be replaced. A material such as wrought iron only adds to the concerns.

It's probably wrong but there is another reason

> Les: unless I miss my guess, that bridge is
> built of wrought iron, which is why it
> lasted so long and was able to take the
> loads it did. Whole different process but
> much more reliable then cast iron, ala the
> infamous Ashtabula disaster.


pfdx@aol.com